Mexico Travel Guide

Social Conventions

Handshaking is the most common form of greeting. Casual wear is acceptable during the day throughout Mexico. At beach resorts, clothing is very informal for men and women. In Mexico City, however, appearance tends to be smart in elegant restaurants and hotel dining rooms. Smoking is banned in all enclosed public places, punishable by stiff fines and even a jail sentence - although smoking in bars and restaurants is permitted if they have separate rooms or outdoor areas.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

Mexico's main airlines are Aeroméxico (AM) (www.aeromexico.com) and Mexicana (MX) (www.mexicana.com).

Departure Tax

International departure tax is usually included in air tickets.

Main Airports

Mexico City International Airport (MEX) (Benito Juárez) (www.aicm.com.mx) is 13km (8 miles) east of the city. To/from the airport: Buses and taxis run to the city (journey time - 35 minutes). Underground trains are also available. Facilities: Bank/bureau de change, bar, car hire, chemist, duty-free shops, first aid (with vaccinations for cholera and yellow fever available), left luggage, post office, restaurants, shops, snack bars, tourist information and VIP lounges.

Cancun International Airport (CUN) (www.cancun-airport.com) is 22km (14 miles) southwest of the city. To/from the airport: Buses and taxis run to the city (journey time - 40 minutes). Facilities: Bank/ bureau de change, bar, car hire, duty-free shops, first aid, luggage lockers (for small items only), restaurant, shops, snack bars, tourist information and VIP lounges.

Guadalajara International Airport (GDL) (Miguel Hidalgo) (http://aeropuertosgap.com.mx) is 25km (12 miles) southeast of the city. To/from the airport: Buses and taxis run to the city (journey time - 35 minutes). Facilities: Bank, bar, car hire, chemist, post office, restaurant, shops, snack bars, tourist information and VIP lounge.

Acapulco (ACA) (General Juan N Alvarez): is 26km (16 miles) southeast of the city. To/from the airport: Buses and taxis run to the city (journey time - 35 minutes). Facilities: Bank, bar, car hire, post office, restaurant, shops and VIP lounge.

For general information on Mexican airports, see www.aeropuertosmexico.com.

Getting There By Water

Main ports: Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas (www.apibcs.com), Cozumel (www.apiqroo.com.mx), Manzanillo, Mazatlán , Puerto Vallarta (www.apivta.com), Tampico (www.puertodetampico.com.mx) and Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa.

Regular passenger ships run from the USA and South America. A huge number of companies operate cruise services to Mexico. There are also riverboat services from Flores and Tikal (Guatemala) to Palenque, Chiapas in Mexico; enquire locally for details.

Getting There By Rail

Amtrak provides railway connections to various points along the Mexican border from cities in the USA or Canada (tel: +1 800 872 7245, in the USA; www.amtrak.com).

To get into Mexico by train, the only option is on luxurious private services like the Sierra Madre Express (tel: +1 520 747 0346 or 800 666 0346, in the USA) operating between Tuscon, Arizona and Mexico's Copper Canyon. Tickets available through specialist agents. Mexlist (www.mexlist.com) maintains a list of similar luxury services, most of which have pullman sleepers, restaurant cars, lounge observation and club cars.

Getting There By Road

The main points of entry from the USA are Mexicali from San Diego; Nogales from Phoenix/Tucson; El Paso/Ciudad Juárez from Tucson and Alberquerque; Eagle Pass/Piedras Negras from Del Río, San Angelo and El Paso; Laredo/Nuevo Laredo from Houston, San Antonia and Del Río; and Brownsville/Matamoros from Houston and Galveston.

From Guatemala, there are two main roads into Mexico. The Pan American Highway crosses into Mexico from Guatemala and continues through Central America and South America. There is also a road border crossing point from Belize near Chetumal and Corozal.

Drivers crossing the border in private cars or US hire cars must present originals and photocopies of current car registration and a valid driving license to obtain a 180-day automobile permit. The cost of this should be charged to a credit card to avoid leaving a large cash deposit. Mexican car insurance is also compulsory - extensions to US policies are not valid. Insurance can be purchased at the border but better deals are available through online brokers.

Coach: Autobuses Americanos (tel: 01 800 507 5500 or +1 214 337 0010, in the USA; www.autobusesamericanos.com.mx) connects several locations in the southern US states to a wide variety of Mexican towns and cities. Autotransportes Tufesa (tel: 01 800 737 8883 or +1 602 415 9900, in the USA; www.tufesa.com.mx) runs from Phoenix and Tucson to northern Mexico. Various coach operators run from Guatemala and Belize to Mexico.

Duty Free

Overview

Generally, goods for obvious personal use are acceptable. In addition, the following goods may be brought into Mexico by persons over 18 years of age without incurring customs duty:

• 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 200g of pipe tobacco.
• 3L of wine, spirits or beer.
• A reasonable amount of perfume or eau de toilette or lotions for personal use.
• Two photo, movie or video cameras for non-residents and up to 12 unexposed rolls of film or video cassettes.

Prohibited Imports

Any uncanned food, pork or pork products; certain fish and fish products; plants, fruits, vegetables, flowers, seeds (except if special permit is obtained prior to arrival) and their products; insecticide. Firearms and ammunition need an import permit.

Prohibited Exports

Archaeological relics may not be exported.

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

There is an excellent network of daily scheduled services between principal commercial centers operated by Mexico's two longstanding airlines: Aeroméxico (www.aeromexico.com) and Mexicana (www.mexicana.com). Many of the smaller airports also have capacity for large planes and some international flights.

A plethora of budget airlines have sprung up recently, although they do not fly to all destinations. These include Aviacsa (www.aviacsa.com), which has good coverage, as does Click (www.clickmx.com). Some others are vivaAerobus (www.vivaaerobus.com), Volaris (www.volaris.com.mx) and Interjet (www.interjet.com.mx). Budget airlines are often not featured on other travel websites; you usually have to buy direct. This is sometimes complicated by sites that are not easy to use and sometimes not in English. It is worth preservering, though, to get a good deal.

Getting Around By Water

Steamer ferries operate regularly between Mazatlán and La Paz (Baja California) daily; between Guaymas and Santa Rosalia, across the Gulf of California; between La Paz and Topolobampo three or four times weekly; and from Puerto Vallarta to Cabo San Lucas twice-weekly. Some west coast cruises include Pacific ports such as Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco. There are also regular ferries from the mainland to the Caribbean Islands of Isla Mujeres and Cozumel. Ferry operators, their names, websites and schedules are in a constant state of flux. Advance bookings are very rarely needed or available.

Getting Around By Rail

Apart from a couple of minor services in certain areas, almost all long-distance passenger train services were discontinued in 2000. A spectacular route still in service is the Chihuahua-Pacific Railway, commonly known as El Chepe (tel: 01 (614) 439 7272 or 01 800 122 4373; www.chepe.com.mx). This runs between Chihuahua and Los Mochis and includes a stop in the Copper Canyon region.

Apart from these, the surviving scheduled passenger trains are state-subsidised social services for residents of remote areas. Reliable schedules for these are very difficult to obtain beyond the local area and should be checked when there for the most up-to-date information. Unsurprisingly, most people travel by bus since it is considerably faster and provides a far more extensive service. For further train details and additional luxury services consult Mexlist (www.mexlist.com).

Getting Around By Road

Traffic drives on the right here, but is unpredictable, and only half the road network is paved. Confusingly, toll (CUOTA) and free (LIBRE) roads to the same destination often have the same highway ID number. Drivers in a hurry should follow the CUOTA signs. A third sign, LIBRAMIENTO, indicates a toll-paying bypass road. Cash is preferred at toll-booths. It is advisable to keep car doors and windows closed and locked, especially at traffic lights.

Coach: Coaches and buses link almost all towns and cities. Central bus terminals in major cities provide service and information on fares and schedules. Major operators include Estrella Blanca (tel: 01 800 507 5500; www.estrellablanca.com.mx) and Autotransportes Tufesa (tel: 01 800 737 8883; www.tufesa.com.mx).

Car hire: Self-drive cars are available at airports, city centers and resorts. All the established international agencies operate in Mexico. Reputable Internet-only agencies are worth a look for cheap deals. Beware of hidden extras, and poor breakdown services, particularly with local firms.

Regulations: Speed limits are 30-70kph (19-43mph) in towns, 80-90kmph (50-56mph) on expressways and outside built-up areas and 110kph (68mph) on motorways, except in Chihuahua where the limit is 100kph (62mph). Car use in Mexico City is restricted so as to reduce pollution. The last digit of the car number plate determines when that car cannot be driven.

Emergency breakdown service: Rest areas at toll-booths provide ambulance and breakdown services. The Angeles Verdes (Green Angels) (tel: 01 800 903 9200), run by the tourist ministry, provide breakdown assistance to tourists, with free labor and parts at cost. If you do need to call them out, it should go without saying that you should tip them generously.

Documentation: An International Driving Permit or a full national driving license is required. The minimum driving age is 18. Check insurance is included in hire-car agreements. Mexican vehicle insurance is compulsory (see Getting There).

Getting Around Towns and Cities

Mexico City: The Metro system is cheap and efficient, with frequent trains, flat fares and smart-card prepaid tickets. However, it is often crowded and some familiarity with the city is necessary to use it successfully. The Metro opens Mon-Sat at 0600 (Sun 0700) and closes at about midnight. There is also a small tramway network, and extensive bus and trolley bus services. The latter system has recently been modernized, and also has a flat fare.

Four different types of taxi operate in Mexico City. Yellow and white taxis (usually Volkswagens) are metered, as are orange taxis (sitio), which are available at taxi-stands. These charge slightly more, and it is advisable to agree on the fare before starting the journey. Turismo taxis with English-speaking drivers are available outside main hotels. They are not metered and fares should be agreed before starting journey as rates can be excessive. Peseros (green and white) are share-taxis traveling on fixed routes, for which fares are charged according to the distance traveled. Radio taxis charge double fee but are very secure. Tipping is not compulsory, nor indeed expected, for any of the taxi services.

Guadalajara: There is a state-run bus and trolley bus service in Guadalajara, together with extensive private bus services.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Mexico City to other major cities/towns in Mexico.

	Air	Road
Acapulco	0.35	3.30
Cancún	2.20	30.00
Chihuahua	2.20	34.00
Puerto Vallarta	1.55	14.00